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November 2009 (11/20) Holmquist - State Building Code Council plan will destroy jobs, slow recovery and open state to litigation The Washington State Building Code Council (SBCC) voted today to implement new energy efficiency mandates that are projected to increase home construction costs by at least $10,000 per home.  (11/19) Zarelli - Sen. Zarelli statement on November revenue forecast “From a fiscal standpoint, all political considerations aside, it would be smart to reduce spending as soon as possible. We could begin that process with a short special session two weeks from now." (11/19) Schoesler - Schoesler statement on November state revenue forecast “Clearly significant reductions in state spending are in order, and a quick special session next month to get a jump on those is a great idea. In light of this new forecast it should be difficult for anyone, even the governor, to make a credible argument against early action." (11/13) Zarelli - Sen. Zarelli statement on implications of November caseload forecast “The state budget gap widened today by about 300 million dollars, primarily because the ‘utilization costs’ associated with the caseload have gone up by roughly that amount. Throw in a 97 million-dollar drop in revenue collections for the past two months and our state is looking at a 1.5 billion-dollar deficit. And this is before seeing the state’s final revenue forecast of the year, which comes out next Thursday."  (11/10) Honeyford - 15th District legislators call public meeting about wildfire response Dry Creek Complex fire raises questions about authority, procedures in ‘no man’s land’: Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside, Rep. Bruce Chandler, R-Granger, and Rep. David Taylor, R-Moxee will host the public meeting at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 23, at Snipes Mountain Brewery and Restaurant, 905 Yakima Valley Highway.   (11/10) Delvin - Delvin appointed vice chairman of NCSL Environment Committee The National Conference of State Legislatures announced today it has appointed Sen. Jerome Delvin, R-Richland, as vice chair of its environment committee, which considers state and federal natural resources legislation, regulation and policies. This includes the handling of nuclear waste, a vital issue for Washington and the Tri-Cities.  (11/06) Ag Alert! - End to field burning tax exemption proposed: your thoughts?, Hello, “Agriculture and Natural Resource Land Management Agency”?, Stock watering work group off to a fair start, Congress OKs money for Odessa aquifer study, plus the ag calendar for November. October 2009 (10/29) Zarelli - Sen. Zarelli on Pension Funding Council rejection of actuary’s advice “It’s hard to believe things could deteriorate to the point that pension checks will have to be written directly out of the general fund, which would take money away from other public services. But decisions like the one made today keep us drifting in that direction.”  (10/28) Hewitt - Sen. Mike Hewitt’s statement on Boeing 787 second assembly line announcement “Although today’s announcement was the blow we hoped would not come, it is also a call to action. The next battle starts today, right now. We must do everything we can to retain the 737 line and keep all present and future aerospace jobs in Washington. Today we lost thousands of jobs. We cannot afford to lose thousands more." (10/28) Hewitt - Sen. Mike Hewitt’s statement on South Carolina’s new incentives for Boeing; the company’s imminent decision “It’s obviously ‘game on’ in South Carolina. They get it. Why isn’t the Washington Legislature in special session right now enacting reasonable workers’ compensation reform and looking at other ideas to attract and retain these jobs?"	'How can we allow this to go on?' (KOMO News investigation into Child Protective Services) Washington's Ailing Pension System (KING TV NEWS Special Report,11/11) Washington lawmakers should meet soon to deal with state budget imbalance (Seattle Times, 10/28)State’s pitch to Boeing falls flat (News Tribune, 9/30) Gregoire says she's willing to discuss taxes to plug state budget gap (Seattle Times, 9/30) Increasing taxes not off table (Olympian, 9/30)Lawmakers must reform workplace insurance (Spokesman-Review, 9/25) Escapes raise questions about how state handles criminals with mental illness (Seattle Times, 9/24) Let's review L&I operations before allowing tax increase (Yakima Herald-Republic, 9/24) Workers' comp system cries out for competition (Everett Herald, Richard Davis guest editorial, 09/23) Lawmakers may have to cut up to $1 billion more from state budget (News Tribune, 9/18) In our view, Sept. 16: Unions Worried (Columbian, 9/16) State’s jobless rate doesn’t show how bad it is (Seattle Times, 9/16) Is Gregoire doing enough to sweet-talk Boeing? (Crosscut.com, 9/14) Boeing's Charleston, S.C., workers oust union (Seattle P.I.Online, 9/10) Technicality in tuition program cuts off help for Iraq war widow (Spokesman-Review, 8/31)  Breaching dams on Snake River is foolish idea (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, 8/22)  Budget Nightmare: 10 Most Broke States (ABC News, 7/7)  Boeing tries the Charleston swing (News Tribune, 7/5)  A little more pain (Columbian, 6/21)  State revenue woes continue (Tri-City Herald, 6/18)  State revenues take another hit (Columbian, 6/18)  Democrats continue to push for an income tax (Seattle Times, 6/17)  Gov. Gregoire has overstepped her authority with policy (Olympian, 6/14)  Preserve fund for agency performance audits (Spokesman Review, 5/15)  State revenues may force special session (Daily News, 5/13)  Legislature rewrote budget to give nursing homes more money after tax referendum died: Was the first budget phony? (News Tribune, 5/11)  Performance audit cuts: Use veto to restore funding (Everett Herald, 5/8)  One-time budget cuts don’t really fix problem (Tri-City Herald, 4/28)  State budget: Good, Bad, unconscionable (News Tribune, 4/26)  Down for the count, tax packages could be revived next year (Spokesman-Review, 4/24)  If lawmakers don’t do their jobs…(News Tribune, 4/22)
(10/20) Delvin - Delvin to host Peruvian agricultural delegation in Tri-Cities “Their regions are similar to the Tri-Cities, with the same kinds of agricultural challenges and opportunities. This visit will promote our region, business growth and friendship between our two countries.” (10/15) Swecker - Recommendation to close Maple Lane raises serious question "Where do the Maple Lane students go? These students are medically fragile, with 30 to 40 students on suicide watch at any given time. Many are on strict prescription-medicine plans that keep them functioning. To put mentally-ill people in the same facility as the sort of criminals at Green Hill would be a mistake at best and a disaster at worst." (10/14) Hewitt - Sen. Mike Hewitt's statement on Facility Closure Report "Over the short run, it’s true that we do have some excess prison capacity. But we know that over the long run we will need more beds. Why not rent those temporary surplus beds to other states to house their inmates? We’d generate revenue and be ready with the facility once we need it, rather than having to ramp it up again or build new facilities." (10/14) Carrell - Carrell concerned about budget-driven cuts to public safety "Any time the state chooses to reduce the number of prison facilities for a one-time budget savings, while simultaneously releasing offenders from supervision, it is a recipe for an increase in arrests." (10/07) Morton - Morton encourages ranchers to attend public meetings on proposed wolf management plan “There has to be a balance. We can’t ‘manage predatory wildlife’ without a component for the loss of livestock.” (10/07) Holmquist - Boeing never should have been forced to look elsewhere “Unfortunately, while other states lower the costs of doing business, ours is rapidly moving in the wrong direction.”  September 2009 (09/25) Hewitt - Sen. Mike Hewitt’s statement on Gov. Gregoire’s 787 ‘business case’ report “While this report is beautiful and glossy and filled with rankings, is there really any substance here that Boeing hasn’t already considered? I want the company to stay in Washington as much as everyone else, but it’s time to stop resting on rankings and look at where we really are on the ground." (09/25) Hewitt - Senator Mike Hewitt says South Carolina is celebrating while Washington sleeps “It’s tragic that Washington appears to be on the verge of losing billions in future business and countless jobs to South Carolina and yet we refuse to address two cost-of-doing-business issues critical to Boeing: unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation taxes." (09/23) Carrell - Carrell lauds call by governor, DSHS secretary for his proposal to put mentally ill killers in prison Carrell’s bill would create a new category of “guilty but mentally ill” for people charged with a crime. His bill would put a person found guilty but mentally ill under the control of the Department of Corrections, for housing in one of the two state mental hospitals until the offender’s mental condition is stabilized; then the offender would be transferred to a state prison to continue his or her treatment. (09/21) Holmquist/Honeyford/King - Workers’ comp reform necessary to bring costs under control “At a time when our economy is trying to recover, the most irresponsible thing we could do is levy a job-killing, multimillion-dollar tax increase on our employers and their employees without first reforming the serious flaws in the workers’ compensation system." (09/17) Schoesler - Sen. Schoesler statement on September state revenue forecast “I’m reminded again of how the majority party tried to put lipstick on its budget by emphasizing how much was being left in reserve, instead of giving the taxpayers of Washington what they needed – a budget that did more to bring state spending down to a level that is affordable and can withstand these continued drops in revenue.”  (09/17) Zarelli - Sen. Zarelli statement on state’s September revenue forecast “Whether or not the state economy is recovering, the level of revenue the state is now collecting should be viewed as the new norm, not as a temporary drop from the norm. The baseline has been reset. We as legislators should reset our thinking accordingly." (09/15) Morton - Morton to help create process to resolve open records complaints without costly litigation The task force will examine recommendations on creating a process to rule on citizen complaints of violations of the Public Records Act.  (09/14) Carrel - McNeil Island prison not likely to close; DOC considers inmate job site at Western State Hospital “Shutting down the prison would mean hiring more employees to replace the 100-plus inmates who work maintaining the island’s roads and sewer system, staffing the fire department and other jobs. That could cost upwards of 2 million dollars.” (09/10) Hewitt - Sen. Mike Hewitt’s statement on South Carolina Boeing workers’ vote to decertify union "This is a serious blow to our quest to keep the second 787 production line in Washington. We already know that the relationship between labor and management is a top concern for Boeing. Today’s vote puts Washington at a major competitive disadvantage." (09/08) Parlette - Parlette encourages consideration of footbridge near Beebe Bridge "The reality of what happened here presents us with an opportunity to look at ways we can get pedestrians and bicyclists across the river more safely and in a more user-friendly fashion. The Department of Transportation has been working very hard over the past week and through the holiday weekend to analyze the situation on the bridge and decide the best way forward." (09/04) Stevens - Stevens fears today’s destruction of KRKO radio towers is a bold acceleration of domestic terrorist acts “I’m concerned that these people are moving toward acts that will ultimately be targeted at hurting and killing humans they don’t agree with.” August 2009 (08/31) Hewitt - Sen. Mike Hewitt’s statement on Boeing exec’s retirement “As I’ve said in the past and will continue to say in the days and weeks to come:  the Legislature and other elected officials must look carefully – and quickly – at what we can do to make Washington more competitive and attractive to employers, from Boeing all the way to our smallest companies. Our citizens’ jobs depend on it.”   (08/31) Holmquist - Holmquist to hold District Office Days for Yakima and Kittitas County residents Yakima, Sept. 2 - Kittitas, Sept. 3 (08/24) Delvin - Nuclear energy: the only way to go green "We can choose to struggle along with enforced reduction of our baseload power source, experiencing brownouts and blackouts, depressing our economy and sliding into second- or third-world status. Or we can choose clean, affordable nuclear energy to supply Washington with a powerful baseload capacity that would keep our homes comfortable, our businesses humming, and our environment pristine." (08/13) Becker - Becker announces new online-only Second District Government Guide “If people are as concerned as I am about some of the decisions our representatives have made or are considering, this guide will definitely point them in the right direction.”  (08/07) Hewitt - Boeing's bottom line is a concern for all of us "Our state is a wonderful place to live and work. However, the ability to meet delivery schedules and keep the bottom line on the positive side is dictated more by labor costs, taxes and regulations than by scenic mountains and clear waters. If our state is serious about ranking ahead of the rest for aerospace production, there is much work to do. We have to fight for these terrific family-wage jobs as if the very future of Boeing in Washington is at risk – because it is." (08/07) Carrell - Rampant federal spending hinders state government "As you know, we are a leading foreign trade state and cap and trade will have a significant impact on our state’s ability to compete, as will a government takeover of health care. When the financial capability of the federal government is weakened, it weakens our state legislature’s ability to fund programs and services by hurting the state’s economy." (08/04) Carrell - Moving in the wrong direction "We now have 22 months of data that the prison reform laws were successful, but I fear recent budget cuts pose a huge threat to public safety." (08/03) Holmquist - Holmquist schedules District Office Days Yakima, August 5 - Kittitas, August 6 July 2009 (7/30) Parlette - Parlette testifies before Congress, urges reopening of Upper Stehekin Valley Road “I support H.R. 2806 because it would restore access to rustic park facilities and scenic wilderness areas within the North Cascade National Park. t would also provide legislative clarity to the intent of the Washington Parks Wilderness Act of 1988 (PL 100-668); and assure the National Park Service (NPS) is consistent in its road management practices within the wilderness areas in the Olympic, Mount Rainer, and North Cascade National Parks.”  (07/30) Morton - Morton’s bill to protect forestland owners now law “Logging might not take place for many years and forestland owners need to be able to harvest and replant regardless of surrounding new development.”  (07/28) Stevens - Stevens sends open letter to Murray, Cantwell and Larsen urging 'no' vote on Obama's national health insurance plan “The more I learn about this damaging legislation from British and Canadian experts who live every day with government-run health care, the more alarmed I become. In fact, the fastest-growing segment of Canadian health care is private clinics – Canadians are actually trying to return to free-market health care because government-run care is massively bureaucratic and dangerously slow." (07/28/09) Delvin - Chopp tells Tri-Cities leaders he supports hydropower as renewable; then reassures the environmental lobby he doesn't mean it “Chopp told Tri-Cities leaders exactly what he knew they wanted to hear: that Washington’s abundant, low-cost hydropower should be considered renewable and counted under Initiative 937. But when the environmental lobby came unglued over his remarks, Chopp reassured them that he has no intention of changing his long-time stand against declaring hydropower renewable. Well, Mr. Speaker, which is it?” (07/28) Holmquist - Legislators discuss solutions after concerns with Ecology's shutdown of exempt wells “With this ban, the governor’s Ecology Department is effectively bankrupting our building industry, devastating small businesses, issuing pink slips to workers, and restricting the property rights of families who hope to live in upper Kittitas County. So much for the invisible hand of government; families in Kittitas County are seeing its consequences first hand.”  (07/23) Hewitt, Holmquist - Hewitt, Holmquist say AG opinion the right decision at the right time "This AG decision is the right one at the right time and will hopefully help us reassure employers that we appreciate the jobs they provide and that their voices are every bit as valuable as the voices of Labor Unions." (07/16) Morton - Morton encourages citizens to complete WDFW online survey on new director “The commission needs to hear from people who have ideas or concerns about how the department is managed. We need a good leader – someone who can work cooperatively with the commission to develop and implement wildlife management plans that ensure fish and game opportunities for future generations and who understands the impact of wildlife on farmers and ranchers.”  07/16) Holmquist - 13th District lawmakers call Ecology ban on new wells harmful to Kittitas County economy and families “At a time when every job counts and our state is facing yet another deficit, Ecology is effectively bankrupting the building industry in upper Kittitas County, issuing pink slips to its workers, and sending economic shockwaves through a county that is already suffering from economic hardship.” (07/14) Morton - Morton’s nonambulatory cattle bill becomes law this month “This will be an important and practical tool to keep potentially bad beef out of the food chain. We needed a better way to get at this problem.”  (07/12) Hewitt - State must do more to keep aerospace jobs here "The warning signs have been clear. The crisis point is now. State government must act to improve our business climate and ensure Washington remains the nation's aerospace leader." (07/09) Parlette - Parlette among national peers as 2009 Rising State Leader “The topics we discussed – including border security, energy, tourism and trade – are key issues that affect the lives of people around Washington and specifically in the 12th District, which shares a border with Canada. It’s excellent to now have working relationships with many of my Canadian counterparts that I can connect with to get things accomplished for the people of Washington.” (07/08) Hewitt - Cap and tax a bad idea in both Washingtons "Why would we want to drive up the costs of energy and other necessities at a time when families are seriously hurting? Why would we want to risk further business closures, job losses and damage to our economy? And why would we want to set up an elaborate, complicated new government system that has been proven in Europe to be open to fraud and abuse, with insiders reaping huge profits from Enron-style trading schemes?" (07/07) Hewitt - Sen. Mike Hewitt's statement on Boeing's announced plant purchase "It’s time for lawmakers and others in a position of influence to wake up. We must do all we can to keep Boeing and the other aerospace jobs we do have – jobs that account for thirty-six billion dollars in economic value and represents 15 percent of our state’s economy."  (07/02) Holmquist - Sen. Janéa Holmquist receives ‘Legislator of the Year’ award AGC Director of Government Affairs Rick Slunaker, who praised Holmquist for her steadfast opposition to ‘job-killer’ bills on the labor committee, also said, “Her leadership was felt on issues as varied as workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance taxation, and the underground economy in construction.”  June 2009 (06/19 ) Schoesler - Sen. Schoesler statement on mid-year state revenue forecast “Whether or not this forecast results in additional, noticeable cuts to services and programs, I’ll say it again: it didn’t have to be this way." (06/18) Zarelli - Sen. Zarelli statement on state's June revenue forecast “The new budget doesn’t take effect for almost two weeks and it’s already projected to be in the red two years from now." (06/17) Parlette - Parlette selected among national peers as 2009 Rising State Leader "I look forward to providing my fellow Washington legislators with firsthand knowledge as we work together on issues that affect both our state and our Canadian neighbors." (06/08) Pflug - Pflug praises health care agency’s prioritizing; making hard decisions the Legislature avoided "The agency has done the best it can to protect the people it serves.   The Legislature adjourned and left the Health Care Authority holding the bag, so it had to make the hard decisions the Legislature refused to make." (06/03) Honeyford - Honeyford receives 'Legislative Business Star' award “The last thing our employers need is to be subjected to this draconian, economy-killing ‘cap-and-tax’ scheme. Instead, as I proposed this session, we should give them incentives to voluntarily reduce greenhouse gases while still working to improve the health of our economy.”    (06/02) Holmquist - Holmquist receives 'Legislative Business Star' award Sen. Janéa Holmquist received the 2009 “Legislative Business Star” award today from the Business Institute of Washington, a group of employers, employees and other business community activists dedicated to promoting a legislative agenda that creates a vibrant economy and preserves private-sector jobs. (06/01) Morton - Governor signs Morton bill to expand critical habitat “Expansion of this program is a win-win situation. More critical habitat can be preserved and landowners will receive a fair price if they choose to participate.” May 2009 (05/26) Morton - Morton’s civil violation bill for transporting nonambulatory cattle to feedlots and slaughter facilities approved by Legislature Morton’s bill does not remove that criminal violation, but gives county sheriffs a more practical tool to deal with the problem. Presently, criminal charges involve a lengthy and costly legal process for both county sheriffs and county prosecutors. (05/21) Holmquist - Holmquist blasts the governor for circumventing the legislative process to push ‘job-killing’ environmental agenda “I am not willing to sacrifice my constituents’ jobs, force them to pay higher utility bills, and tax them based on the miles they drive or size of their engine for proposals that will have no impact on the environment." (05/21) Honeyford - Honeyford comments on governor's decision to bypass Legislature and enact environmental policies through agencies “The people of this state rejected energy taxes, risky cap-and-trade schemes, and restrictions on their ability to drive the vehicle that meets their needs; yet, the governor has decided to ignore the will of the people and legislative process and move forward with these job-killing measures." (05/20) Benton - Benton’s bill to help children with dyslexia signed into law “With one in five children affected by dyslexia, it is very important that our teachers can access this training. Too many of our children are labeled learning-disabled when they are dyslexic.”   (05/20) Holmquist - Holmquist applauds veto of Democrats’ raid on performance audits account “The people spoke clearly when they passed I-900 that funding for performance audits would not depend on the governor or the Legislature. The Democrat majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives raided the performance audit account and severely restricted the auditor’s ability to perform the job the people gave him to do. I am glad the governor did the right thing by restoring these crucial funds.”  (05/14) Stevens - Stevens’ bill offering tax relief to low-income seniors signed into law “My bill makes it easier and less expensive for their families to join them in the nursing home and have meals together.  Removing the sales-and-use tax from their meals may seem like a small effort, but every penny counts for families these days.” (05/14) Stevens - Stevens’ foster care bills signed into law Starting this summer Washington’s foster children will have a better chance at a permanent, loving home and greater stability thanks to Sen. Val Stevens, R-Arlington, whose foster care notification and placement bills were signed into law today.  (05/07) Stevens - Stevens’ calls case of little girl being ripped from stable foster home ‘a travesty’ “This case is too reminiscent of other cases of social worker bias, such as with Zy’Nia Nobles. The 3-year-old Tacoma toddler was beaten to death in 2000 by her birth mother after a caseworker pushed to have Zy’Nia returned to the drug-abusing mother for reunification. I was on the fatality review panel, and it was heartbreaking."   (05/07) Hewitt - Sen. Hewitt comments on governor not calling special session “As I said last week, there is simply no reason for the Legislature to come back to consider measures that will cost taxpayers even more money – especially at a cost of around twenty thousand dollars a day." April 2009 (04/30) Parlette - Several Parlette-sponsored bills pass 2009 Legislature Three of Parlette’s prime-sponsored bills, all of them introduced at the request of constituents in her district, passed the Legislature this year. Two have already been signed by the governor and become law. (04/30) Morton - Forest biomass bill signed into law "There will be one project in Eastern Washington and one on the west side. The projects will make good use of a carbon-neutral, renewable resource – wood waste from timber harvests and timber thinned from overstocked forests that make trees susceptible to disease and bug infestations. " (04/29) Hewitt - Hewitt says no special session needed “While I am against coming into a special session, if Democrats do decide to come back to town they should abide by three key principles. First, they should stick with a specific list of bills. Second, the bills should only save taxpayers money, not cost them more. And third, they should bring back only the minimum number of legislators needed to pass bills as a way to save money. There’s no reason to add insult to taxpayers’ injury by forcing them to pay more for a special session than they have to.”   (04/27) Hewitt - Senator Mike Hewitt's statement on proposed special session “I am dumbfounded at the mismanagement that brought us to this point. A special session will cost taxpayers at least twenty thousand dollars a day. Democrats had one-hundred-five days to finish their business. They wasted time, then tried to jam everything through in the final two days and failed." (04/26) Holmquist - Legislature passes “clean” unemployment insurance conformity bill “This bill will help us reach compliance with federal law, ensure that struggling employers will not continued to be penalized, and protect at least 300 million in federal tax credits that might have been lost."  (04/26) Holmquist - Holmquist votes against 'irresponsible' capital budget “This budget takes funds that should be used for vital construction projects in our communities – projects that will provide our struggling citizens with jobs – and transfers that money to the operating budget.” (04/26) Parlette - Parlette bill to protect recreational fishing opportunities passes Legislature “Budget cuts at the Department of Fish and Wildlife have led to a situation where anglers can no longer depend on adequate state funding for recreational salmon and steelhead fisheries in the area. When local fishing enthusiasts were surveyed they said they would be willing to pay into a fund used to maintain selective fisheries on the Columbia River.” (04/25) Hewitt - State not off the “budget roller coaster" “The budget we passed today did not get us off that budget roller coaster. In fact, it sets us up to be in an even worse situation in two years when we write the next biennial budget." (04/25) Zarelli - Sen. Zarelli statement on approval of 2009-11 operating budget “People who will be negatively affected by this budget – particularly our most vulnerable citizens, parents, students and teachers – need to know it didn’t have to turn out this way." (04/25) Parlette - Senate passes 2009-11 operating budget “The budget passed today depends on 5 billion dollars in one-time federal funds and money transfers to pay for ongoing programs. I am disappointed more serious steps were not taken to address the fact that state government is spending more than it takes in each year. We are kicking the can down the road and we will be back in two years facing another deficit.” (04/25) Schoesler - Schoesler statement on adoption of operating budget for 2009-11 “It’s interesting that this budget managed to ‘buy back’ some of the high-profile cuts in health and human services that were in the proposal we saw in committee just last week. When it finally realized the public is in no mood for tax increases, did the majority party decide to go ahead and fund the programs and services that would have been at the center of an effort to raise taxes?"   (04/25) Holmquist - Holmquist fights to keep unemployment insurance deal in place “Washington employers already pay the sixth highest unemployment insurance taxes in the country, and are the fifth highest in the distribution of benefits,” said Holmquist. “The House amendments would mean a tax increase on those struggling employers and a rejection of the Senate compromise I helped broker to improve our business climate and save jobs." (04/25) Holmquist - Holmquist offers amendment to repeal flawed paid family leave entitlement program “It makes no sense to leave this plan on the books. Work on the 6.1 million-dollar computer system to run the program has been suspended and no source of funding has ever been approved for the benefits." 04/25) Delvin - State budget is a house of cards that will fall in 2011, says Delvin “The 2009-11 budget is held together like a rickety house of cards – pasted together with one-time federal stimulus money." (04/25) Stevens - New state budget unsustainable, even with millions in new taxes, Stevens says “This budget accomplishes nothing for the people of Washington. It did not reform government." (04/25) Holmquist - Holmquist: Democrat operating budget does not reflect the priorities of Washington “The people specifically decided in I-900 that funding for performance audits would not depend on the governor or the Legislature. This budget raids the performance audit account, and severely restricts the auditor’s ability to perform the job the people gave him to do.  (04/25) Swecker - Swecker amendment to protect Green Hill and Maple Lane fails in Senate “While I am happy Green Hill has not been given a closure date, I want people in Lewis and Thurston counties to understand the fight is not over. As the budget stands now, either Green Hill or Maple Lane will close. It would be devastating to the counties and to the state to close these facilities.”  (04/25) Benton - Benton wins funding for his bill to help students with dyslexia “I am very pleased. So many children who are now labeled as learning-disabled but afflicted with dyslexic will benefit.”  (4/25) Benton - Benton votes ‘no’ to reducing community supervision for child molesters “We can’t balance the budget on the backs of small children – it’s unthinkabl. The reason people pay taxes is for public safety, it’s their number one priority.”  (04/25) Holmquist - Senate passes 'tricky' opt-out fee for funding state parks “We all support parks, but we need to be transparent – not try to sneak five-dollar fees here and there.”  (04/21) Morton - Morton bill to provide incentives for private landowners to support endangered species habitat passes Legislature "Once an endangered species is identified in a forest area, that protected species pretty much “owns” the land. My bill creates an option for the ‘human owner’ to sell the land to the government entity involved if he or she so chooses.”  (04/20) Stevens - Stevens’ bill offering tax breaks to low-income seniors unanimously passed by Senate “Life is difficult enough for a low-income senior living in a nursing facility. My bill simply makes it easier and less expensive for their families to join them in the nursing home and have meals together.  Every cent adds up and this measure removes the sales and use tax from their meals.” (04/18) Carrell - House fails to act on bill preventing sex predator access to child porn “This really is politics at its worst. When people in power choose not to help protect the public it really shines a spotlight on the negative aspects of one-party rule in state government.” (04/18) Delvin - Delvin bill to set penalties for minors who gamble passed by Legislature “If we set a civil penalty for minors who gamble, enforcement would be much easier. That’s because penalties would then apply to all parties involved – the minor, the card room operator, and the card dealer.”  (04/17) Hewitt - Department of Licensing sets new criteria for office consolidation Funding for the new criteria is currently included in the draft House and Senate transportation budgets – something that must be finalized and passed by the full Legislature before it is final. (04/17) Carrell - Lt. Gov. casts tiebreaking vote to pass bill with Carrell amendment "Eminent domain is a fundamental, bedrock issue that the state constitution covers thoroughly. Lt. Gov. Brad Owen didn’t hesitate for a minute when he cast his tiebreaking vote in favor of my amendment. It’s a huge win for preserving the fundamental precepts of our constitution.”  (04/17) Morton - Senate approves House version of Morton’s bill to better protect water supplies The new law will require backflow assembly testers and cross-connection control specialists to be certified in the same manner as certified water supply system operators. (04/16) Carrell - Precarious business climate further endangered by late-session bill "Who would want to be a corporate officer when your house, your savings, your retirement fund and your property is on the line? This is an absolutely horrible idea.”  (04/16) Delvin - Delvin bill to allow remote offices for county officials gets governor’s signature “About 11 Washington counties have been struggling with this problem for years and now we have a solution. Best of all, it doesn’t cost any extra money to implement. It’s a true win-win situation.”    (04/16) Benton - Benton honors Mother Joseph on the 186th anniversary of her birth “She was a stickler for detail and often inspected rafters and bounced on planks to ensure their support. With a hammer and saw in hand, she personally supervised construction and sometimes ripped out faulty workmanship and redid it herself.”  (04/16) Swecker - Swecker to introduce budget amendment to keep Green Hill open "The timeframe for closing Green Hill is not feasible. DSHS has identified an alternative to closing either Green Hill School or Naselle. This proposal would save $7.3 million by closing four state community facilities, eliminating two cottages from institutions, and moving the basic training camp to another Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration institution.”  (04/15) Carrell -Carrell amendment to felon voting bill encourages victim restitution “My amendment institutes a ‘trust but verify’ system so that offenders coming out of prison can be encouraged to participate in their civic duty, but not without continuing the monthly payments toward full restitution of their crimes.”  (04/15) Delvin - Delvin bill to protect mental health records passed by Legislature “Washington is one of only four states that didn’t offer privilege to marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors, and clinical social workers. This type of communication deserves protection, and I’m happy to say we’ve now got it.”  (04/15) Benton - Senate approves Benton’s “Donate Life Month” resolution to encourage more people to become organ donors “Since I became aware of the critical need for more organ donors, I have offered a resolution to remind my colleagues and the public how one organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people and enhance the lives of more than 50. I also make it a point of sharing the sad truth that organ donation is not nearly common enough to meet the need.” (04/14) Delvin - Delvin bill to stop health insurance scammers passed by Legislature “Many of these so-called discount health plans sell what appears to be health insurance coverage, but what is actually discount rates from a few providers." (04/13) Holmquist - Holmquist-backed study amendment passes Senate “This amendment will put the responsibility back in the hands of the Legislature, study if a heavy-handed approach is really necessary, and save the taxpayers nearly 1.4 million dollars per biennium in administrative costs. have said all along, I would much rather see these dollars go directly towards increasing child care workers’ salaries.” (04/13) Benton - Benton's bill to help children with dyslexia wins House approval “My bill makes this training more accessible to Clark County teachers and teachers across the state. With one in five children affected by dyslexia, it is very important that our teachers can access this training. Too many of our children are labeled learning-disabled when they are dyslexic.”   (04/13) Schoesler - Schoesler bill to allow more EWU engineering courses clears House “This is good news for students, especially those now in high school, who want to pursue engineering studies closer to their homes. It should also send a positive signal to Boeing and other employers who rely on having ready access to engineering talent.”  (04/10) Carrell - New public records abuse law to be put to the test, Carrell says In an ironic twist, a law to prevent frivolous or excessive public records requests by inmates in state prisons will be used for the first time against an inmate requesting information pertaining to the law from the very person who wrote the law.  (04/10) Zarelli - New Zarelli bills cap set of 10 budget reforms Olympia still can adopt “Senate Republicans had called for a three-stage approach to the budget process: first, act early to reduce spending; second, adopt reforms to government, and then – only then – look at reductions. Unfortunately the majority party completely missed the boat on making cost-saving policy changes early in the session, and its budgets go straight to spending cuts, without the reforms.”  (04/09) Hewitt, Holmquist - Hewitt, Holmquist statements on Aerospace Council announcement “Unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation costs are things the Legislature and the governor can change – and should change, quickly, before we lose more jobs.”  (04/09) Stevens - Senate unanimously supports Sen. Stevens’ resolution honoring home-school families “I believe our future leaders will come from those families who have cared enough to home-school their children, and it is for this reason I honor them today.” (04/08) Holmquist - Holmquist votes against bill to restrict employer rights in insurance appeals “In claims where the Department of Labor and Industries is involved, less restrictive rules apply; it is unfair to give preferential treatment to L&I — and employers take another hit.”  (04/08) Parlette - Key Parlette property tax bill, young drivers bill pass House of Representatives “When counties revalue property on an annual basis it avoids huge property tax spikes and keeps property owners from paying higher property taxes for years on property that has declined in value.” (04/03) Holmquist, Honeyford - Class action lawsuit filed against state for releasing the personal information of more than 19,000 child care workers to union “Employees can already unionize at individual child care centers, but this legislation gives the names and addresses of every child care center worker, manager or owner to any interested union." (04/02) Swecker - Swecker satisfied with transportation budget passed by Senate “It was a difficult budget to work on, but all members of the committee were able to work together and fund many of the projects that were promised to citizens in the state. That is an accomplishment I am proud of.” (04/02) Hewitt, Parlette - Senate Republicans celebrate 100th anniversary of Washington's suffrage amendment "Senate Republicans are celebrating this important anniversary through a resolution in honor of women and an exhibit that highlights the role of Republican women in the suffrage movement and the impact women have had in the history of our state and nation. They are also inviting the public to a lecture on the topic on April 13 from 12:15 – 12:45 p.m. in the Irv Newhouse Building on the Capitol campus." (04/01) Pflug - State Budget: Deficits, Priorities and Taxes "With the release of the Senate and House budget proposals it became clear that many politicians define “deficit” as the gap between what they want to spend, and the money available. Until the economy improves, we just can’t afford all those “good ideas.”  Frankly, some of those ideas aren’t all that good – in any economy. " March 2009 (03/31) Hewitt - Sen. Mike Hewitt's statement on the 2009-11 budget proposal “There are two main problems with these budgets. First, they set us up to be right back here in two years with an even worse problem. Second, I believe the priorities reflected in these budgets do not reflect the public’s priorities for state government." (03/31) Parlette - Parlette says proposed budget not sustainable over long term These budgets will be especially hard on citizens for years to come because they postpone tough policy decisions the Legislature should be making now. Both budgets rely heavily on one-time federal funds and money transfers to pay for ongoing spending, which makes them unsustainable." (03/30) Zarelli - Sen. Zarelli statement on Senate Democrat operating budget proposal “Instead of making policy adjustments that will generate substantial ongoing savings, this proposal is about punting and doing temporary backfill that would put off the problem for another two years. It keeps spending artificially high by playing about 3 billion dollars in federal money plus some ill-advised fund transfers that include a raid on the capital budget." (03/25) Holmquist - 13th District legislators pleased as distressed properties bill is signed into law “This bill is a ‘tune-up’ of a bill from last year that had an unintended effect of putting some realtors who work with distressed homeowners at a great risk of liability.” (03/25) Swecker - Sen. Swecker statement on Senate transportation budget “We are able to fund a number of the projects we promised to the people of Washington when the Legislature proposed both the nickel gas tax and nine-and-a-half cent gas tax which the citizens endorsed via the initiative process.” (03/25) Stevens - Stevens' resolution honors national VFW chaplain “This quiet Washington pastor lent our nation’s soldiers a listening hear, and offered spiritual wisdom with deep empathy, since he himself is a Vietnam veteran.” (03/23) Zarelli - Zarelli's budget-transparency bill wins Senate committee approval “This would bring clarity to how revenue and spending relate, and how tax dollars are being spent, so taxpayers can better see things for themselves.”  (03/20) Carrell - Senate approves of amendments, passes Carrell public records bill “This bill would limit public-record requests by inmates intended to harass or intimidate an agency, its employees or is likely to threaten the security of correctional facilities or the safety and security of staff or other persons." (03/19) Zarelli - Sen. Zarelli statement on March revenue forecast “Today’s revenue projection really doesn’t change the choice facing the majority party. Its members can roll up their sleeves, balance the current budget, reduce discretionary spending in favor of funding essential government services, and quit talking about tax increases." (03/13) Morton - Morton’s bill to protect forestry operations passes Senate “Growing trees is a long-term investm. Logging might not take place for many years and forestland owners need to be able to harvest and replant regardless of surrounding new development.” (03/12) Holmquist - Senate passes controversial 'retro' bill "If we destroy the successful retro program, what is the alternative for the thousands of employers in our state who use it? They will be forced to join the state system, and I guarantee you the costs will go up and safety will go down. And when costs go up, employees lose jobs.”  (03/12) Stevens - Stevens' statement on Senate passage of retro bill “When the state can tell a voluntary, private association what it can do with its own money, there goes the right of free speech. This not only doesn’t meet the ‘straight-face’ test, it probably wouldn’t hold up in court."  (03/12) Swecker - Senate passes second part of Swecker’s flood-response package "This bill would give equal voting power concerning the flood district to all registered voters in the flood district.” (03/12) Zarelli - Senate backs Zarelli’s proposed ‘exceptional revenue’ amendment "Today's vote means budget stability measure is halfway to November ballot." (03/12) Carrell - Senate passes Carrell bill to create volunteer focus group to study at-risk homeless issues “My bill creates an all-volunteer focus group to comprehensively examine programs for individuals who are at a high risk of becoming homeless to identify and remove housing barriers." (03/12) Parlette - Parlette's property tax bills pass Senate “Property tax bills can create sticker shock. These bills removed unfair penalties and make taxes more reflective of a property’s current value.” (03/12) Hewitt - Hewitt bill to assist military members passes Senate "Under the bill any active duty military may purchase a hunting license in Washington without the additional burden of completing a hunter safety course." (03/11) Holmquist - Unemployment insurance and work force training bills pass Senate "Our economy is in a crisis - families are in crisis. These bills are extremely important for the business community and working men and women." (03/11) Honeyford, Holmquist - Senate passes changes to Energy Independence Act, rejects Republican amendments to make energy more affordable "This bill only slightly expanded the list of renewable energy sources, it doesn't protect utility customers from soaring rate increases." (03/11) Pflug - Pflug battles Democrat bill to limit renewable energy production and conservation "Imagine voters' surprise when they see we're supporting them by putting a cap on energy conservation." (03/11) Honeyford, Holmquist - Sens. Honeyford and Holmquist: Greenhouse gas bill full of hot air "This bills takes us one step closer to leveling a huge tax on Washington's employers." (03/11) Holmquist - Senate Democrats pass costly new mandates on home construction "This bill will add significant costs to new construction that struggling families trying to afford a home don't need." (03/11) Delvin - Delvin statement on Senate's passage of 'cap-and-tax' bill "Say goodbye to hundreds, even thousands of jobs as Washington businesses are taxed simply for the right to use the energy." (03/11) Carrell - Carrell housing voucher bill to save taxpayer money passes Senate "Helping released offenders find immediate housing will save state taxpayers millions of dollars by preventing extended prison stays and reducing recidivism." (03/09) Delvin - Senate passes Delvin bill to stop health insurance scammers "Many of these plans are sold to unsuspecting consumers who find the services they need are not covered." (03/07) Holmquist - Holmquist protects workers and employers by preserving the UI Trust Fund "The fundamental policy in this bill is flawed; it diverts $56 million from the UI Trust Fund. To protect workers, we must protect the integrity of the UI fund." (03/07) Swecker - Senate approves Swecker bill to allow tri-county flood control district "This is a vital first step in trying to find a solution to the flooding disasters that have for two consecutive years ravaged the area." (03/06) Benton - Democrats push through unlimited sales tax increase "It's a sham. It's taxation without representation. It's time for another Boston Tea party!" (03/06) Morton - Senate approves Morton's 'downer cow' bill "My bill sends the message that we won't tolerate people dumping downer cows in livestock auction yards or feedlots." (03/06) Morton - Senate approves Morton bill to provide incentives for private landowners to support endangered species habitat "My bill creates an option for people to sell their land to the government entity involved if he or she so chooses." (03/05) Benton - Benton amendment would enact ‘Jessica’s Law’; make murder committed by a sexually violent predator subject to death penalty "These offenders need to be dealt with as harshly as possible. Their crimes are just unconscionable.” (03/05) Delvin - Senate unanimously passes Delvin bill to create crisis referral services for law enforcement "Police and safety personnel experience mental and emotional trauma the average person can hardly imagine.” (03/04) Morton - Senate approves Morton's bill to include wolf-hybrids in definition of 'potentially dangerous wildlife' "Wolves are genetically hard-wired to avoid humans. The wolf-hybrid can end up with bad chemistry because it isn't a wolf and it isn't a dog." (03/03) Schoesler - Senate passes Schoesler bill to allow more EWU engineering courses "EWU is ready now to make this change with available funds and with available facilities." (03/03) Delvin - Delvin bill to protect students to age 21 from teacher sexual misconduct bill passed by Senate "This bill clarifies that the law protects all students." (03/03) Carrell - Senate approves Carrell bill to limit inmate public record requests "Some of these inmates are fishing for personal information using drift nets when they should be limited to using one line at a time." (03/03) Morton - Senate approves good bills for PUDs, public water supplies and military personnel "These are common sense bills for PUDs, to ensure safe drinking water and to help our military who are away from home." (03/02) Zarellli - Zarelli revenue-saving proposal a 'gift to future legislators' "This constitutional amendment to automatically save exceptional revenue won't help us come up with a budget for the next biennium, but it would be a gift to future legislators." (03/02) Parlette - Parlette's bill to protect young drivers passes the Senate "It just doesn't seem fair to punish young drivers for who are not at fault in accidents." February 2009 (02/27) Holmquist - Democrat bills send clear message to employers: "Go to Idaho!" "305,500 Washingtonians looking for work - the highest number every recorded - and the majority party is choosing now to rip the welcome mat away from our employers?" (02/26) Swecker - Let TransAlta continue to be an asset "Folks around here know TransAlta as three things: a supplier of reliable electric power; the largest private employer in the area; and an outstanding community neighbor." (02/26) Holmquist - Holmquist bill to make energy more affordable clears key Senate committee " Given the economic woes being felt by many in our communities, this common-sense bill with reduce energy costs for consumers when they need it most." (02/26) Carrell - Senate passes Carrell bill to limit computer access by sex offenders "If my bill becomes law, violent sexual psychopaths will have a much more difficult time getting their hands on images of child pornography." (02/26) Morton - Morton yields time for public hearing on bill to protect water rights for future use so committee can her other side of global warming debate "Don't demonize energy. Without energy life is brutal and short." (02/25) Honeyford - Energy Update "Cap-and-Trade" approved by committee "Successful substitute mitigates many of the worst components of the legislation, but concerns remain." (02/25) Becker - Becker agri-business bill approved by committee "These are tough economic times, and many agri-business owners and their families are struggling to make ends meet." (02/23) Hewitt, Zarelli - Senate Republicans propose B&O tax relief to create jobs "If the Legislature is serious about creating jobs now, it will act on this proposal quickly. If every business estimated to take advantage of this measure creates just one job, that's  90,000 new jobs. Creating jobs is what is going to get us out this economic slump." (02/23) Morton - Morton bill creates civil violation for transporting nonambulatory cattle to feedlots, slaughter facilities "The livestock industry wants to assure the public that it is concerned. Keeping a watch is important, but we need a more practical enforcement tool." (02/23) Benton - Columbia River Crossing steals funding from local projects "In the governor’s proposed transportation budget for 2009-11, another $35.5 million is appropriated for the Columbia River Crossing while delaying vital local projects." (02/23) Holmquist - Bill to unionize child care centers passed by labor committee "This bill creates a huge bureaucracy and has an administrative cost to taxpayers of nearly 1.5 million dollars." (02/18) Morton - Morton introduces critical measure for fire suppression in rural Washington "Without a ready water supply, homes and farm buildings can be totally destroyed if a fire breaks out." (02/17) Hewitt, Delvin - Senators Hewitt and Delvin unveil Sun and Sage Loop of the Great Washington State Birding Trail "If you aren't a bird watcher when you visit these trails, you will be when you leave." (02/16) Holmquist - Holmquist: Democrats using 'retro bill' for political payback "This bill is viewed by many as a blatant attempt to limit funds available to such organizations as the Building Industry Association of Washington, Washington Farm Bureau, and Washington Restaurant Association." (02/16) Morton - Morton challenges fiscal note on biomass bill, wins revision "The estimate was way beyond reason. We were looking at a good bill that would likely get shelved with that kind of fiscal note." (02/13) Honeyford - Energy Update "Cap-and-Trade" "We can expect "cap-and-tax" to increase the cost of electricity, natural gas, gasoline, diesel fuel and any related products – including food in our grocery stores." (02/13) Carrell - Carrell rental voucher bill saves taxpayer money, puts less burden on state facilities "Offenders ready to be released often hit a wall when they can't find housing." (02/13) Carrell - Offender supervision bill saves taxpayer money, keeps public safer, Carrell says "There are places where the state should be very careful when looking to save money, and public safety is one of those areas." (02/11) Hewitt, Honeyford - Senate Republicans to celebrate 200th anniversary of President Lincoln's birth “As the great emancipator, President Lincoln transformed the promises of America so they were available to all citizens of our country.” (02/11) Becker - Becker sponsors Senate resolution to honor Miss Washington "Her grace, style and compassion help inspire hope and keep smiles on the faces of sick children she visits in hospitals around the county." (02/10) Pflug - Pflug health care reform bill puts consumer in driver’s seat The bill would form Apple Health, a co-operative that facilitates the purchase of health insurance. It would bring together individuals, small businesses and public and private health insurance carriers into a single marketplace that offers a variety of health care plans. (2/10) Holmquist, King - Holmquist, King say bill to unionize child care centers is unnecessary and likely to mean less money for kids "This bill has an administrative cost to taxpayers of nearly $1.5 million per biennium." (02/10) Becker - Becker bill would protect agri-business owners from excessive tax “In a tough economic time like this, the last thing agri-business owners want to worry about is government coming after them for taxes they weren’t supposed to pay in the first place.”  (02/10) Morton - Committee hears report on wolves in Washington, takes testimony on Morton’s wolf-hybrid bill "There is no need to mix wild with domestic just to say you did it. It is unfair to wolves and unfair to dogs. People need to understand they are mixing up a batch of bad chemistry.”   (02/09) Hewitt - Sen Mike Hewitt's response to Gov. Gregoire's government reform proposals "I applaud the governor...but I have to say I don't believe these measures will dramatically transform the way the state delivers its services." (02/09) Pflug - Pflug introduces bill to save state health care safety net – within projected revenues "With this plan, the state would improve access to regular care by reforming the way it delivers health care." (02/06) Schoesler - Ag Alert!: New taxes on farmers proposed "Senate Bill 5911 is a surprise attack on agriculture with two of the cruelest tax proposals." (02/06) Becker - Becker co-sponsors bill to let sick kids be 'Chief for a Day' "These kids are facing difficulties and hardships. It's a real treat to help give them a chance to state patrol 'Chief for a Day.''' (02/06) Morton - Morton bill would provide incentives for private landowners to support endangered species habitat "This is a win-win situation for habitat conservation and private landowners." (02/06) Parlette - Parlette meets with LEAP students from North Central Washington "This is a real chance for these young adults to participate in the legislative process." (02/05) Stevens - Stevens' bills help kids thrive in foster care "The more children are moved from family to family, the more they conclude that families are not forever and adults are not to be trusted." (02/05) Benton - Benton bill would make child killers automatically face the death penalty "Prosecutors should not have to jump through hoops to prove this despicable crime falls in the category of 'aggravated.'" (02/04) Holmquist - Holmquist bills to fix I-937 received public hearing "I-937 will significantly raise power rates. It is imperative we recognize hydropower." (02/04) Parlette - Parlette's bill would let chronically ill kids serve as State Patrol 'Chief for a Day' "The Chief for a Day program is a simple way to make a positive difference in the life of a child." (02/03) Holmquist - Holmquist: Overly broad bill could unintentionally limit free speech, violate federal law and cost jobs "Under this bill, employees would be able to sue employers for even sending out a notice regarding a charity drive." (02/03) Honeyford, Delvin, Holmquist - Senate Republicans: Cap-and-tax scheme likely to result in job loss and higher utility bills "Under cap-and-tax the cost of electricity, natural gas, fuel and any product made or transported in Washington will skyrocket." (02/03) Zarelli - Senate committee hears Zarelli's proposed constitutional amendment, budget transparency bill "I think these two measures together will capture some of the pieces that make it very difficult to write sustainable budgets over the long term." (02/03) Schoesler - Schoesler says Legislature's response to shortfall is falling short "For Washington taxpayers, the fact that we are into the fourth week of session without a supplemental budget is an expensive letdown." (02/02) Delvin - Delvin bill targets health insurance scammers "Consumers believe they have purchased insurance, but they have simply bought discount rates for a few providers." January 2009 (01/30) Holmquist - Holmquist bills make state’s Energy Independence Act more practical "My bills are aimed at reducing energy bills by recognizing that power generated from hydropower is indeed a clean and renewable energy." (01/30) Holmquist - Good bill for business sponsored by Holmquist wins Senate approval "This is going to ensure small businesses are not fined, penalized and given administrative sanctions for first-time paperwork violations.” (01/30) Carrell - Carrell bill addresses problem of where to house the homeless "There has to be a place for these folks to go." (01/30) Delvin - Tri-City legislators sponsor 'Energy Independence Day' in Olympia "Our state and nation continue to face challenges in the fields of energy production, retention, delivery and consumption." (01/29) Hewitt - Clean air and 'green' jobs are fine goals, Hewitt says, but we need to protect jobs we already have "It's a lot easier to save the jobs we have than to create new ones." (01/29) Carrell - Carrell bills on inmate abuse of public-records law and sex offender access to computers receive public hearings "Inmates are abusing the public-disclosure system, they're trying to clog up the system and waste taxpayer time and money." (01/29) Morton - Morton partners with Secretary of Health Mary Selecky to better protect public water supplies "We need to make sure people are doing their jobs properly. Contaminated drinking water can be very serious." (01/29) Parlette - New reports says Parlette's health care proposal only one that would cover more citizens at no cost to state According to a new report, an innovative proposal by Sen. Partlette that would provide health coverage for 60,000 young adults is the only proposal that would result in increased coverage at no cost to the state. (01/28) Parlette - Parlette bill protects recreational fishing opportunities "Recreational fishing is both a source of entertainment to our residents and a big tourism draw." (01/28) Delvin - Delvin steps forward to protect all secondary school students from predatory teachers “My bill protects all students from predatory teachers – regardless of age – and that’s what their parents expect us to do." (01/27) Carrell - No more taxpayer-funded artwork for sex offenders, says Carrell "With all the tightening of our belts, I don't think the taxpayers would feel comfortable knowing the state is buying art for sex offender facilities." (01/27) Parlette - Parlette's property tax bills to receive Senate hearing "Property taxes are a top concern for many people, especially when some assessments have gone up as much as two thousand percent." (01/26) Parlette - Parlette introduces bill to protect young drivers "It doesn't make sense to penalize young people for being involved in a traffic accident that isn't their fault." (01/22) Pflug - Pflug seeks constitutional amendment limiting government spending to projected revenues "This amendment would, once and for all, stop the lust for spending that has needlessly placed Washington in debt." (01/22) Brandland - Brandland proposes bill to reduce health care costs for school districts "Since the budget forecast came out in November, we have been talking about ways to save money. This is one that should definitely be on the table." (01/21) Zarelli - Zarelli proposes constitutional amendment to require savings of exceptional revenue “The extraordinary amount of revenue taken in during the 2005-07 biennium, when revenues grew by 21.4 percent, is already gone. There was nothing to force the Legislature to save that money, so it was spent.” (01/20) Parlette - Parlette introduces bill to assist small businesses "Employers are being forced to cut back work hours, forego hiring people, or worse yet lay people off or even shut their doors and eliminate every job in the company." (01/20) Delvin - Delvin determined to fix loophole in sexual misconduct law "I'm ready and willing to fight for our kids' safety, and I intend to win with the people's help." (01/20) Brandland - Brandland sponsors Attorney General legislation to protect families from repeat domestic violence offenders "There are too many examples of lives lost to repeat domestic violence offenders who should have already been in jail." (01/15) Honeyford - Honeyford introduces legislation to protect citizens from soaring utility rate increases “It’s now time to recognize what hydroelectricity has always been—an eligible renewable resource and the hallmark renewable energy produced in the Northwest." (01/13) Pflug - Two years wasted deciding on deep bore tunnel, Pflug says “When I first proposed replacing the viaduct with a deep bore tunnel in 2007, I argued it would solve one huge problem: The economic disruption caused by tearing down the viaduct in order to rebuild or replace it." Read more...  (01/13) Zarelli - Sen. Zarelli statement on Senate Democrat economic proposal "It's a lot easier to preserve jobs than create them, and Senate Republicans would have emphasized that point had we been invited to help develop this package." Read more... (01/12) Swecker - Sen. Swecker statement on Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement “I am pleased that the governor and Seattle city officials have come to a consensus on the best way to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct. This is the first step in making sure the corridor is safe for all who use it." Read more... (01/12) Hewitt - Bill would recognize skills of active-duty military members when applying for hunting licenses “It may seem obvious, but Washington state law does not recognize that active-duty members of our military are already very up to speed on the things one would learn in a hunter safety course.” Read more... (01/09) Swecker - Sen. Dan Swecker issues statement on flooding “The people in Lewis County are my number one priority.  I will dedicate my efforts to helping them recover and finding a permanent solution to prevent another flood crisis.” Read more... (01/07) Morton - Morton announces solid waste grants to 7th District counties Department of Ecology Coordinated Prevention Grants totaling $279,250 have been awarded to Okanogan, Ferry, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane and Stevens counties. Read more... (01/05) Hewitt - Sen. Mike Hewitt's statement regarding the passing of Rep. Bill Grant "As my friend, Bill was someone I could count on personally. Bill was a true statesman and represented our district very well, especially in the area of agriculture." Read more...
December 2008

• (12/31) Swecker - Sen. Swecker statement on Alaskan Way Viaduct design delay
  "We’ve been punting on this fix since the Nisqually Earthquake nearly eight years ago."

• (12/29) Holmquist - Holmquist: Don't balance the budget on backs of disabled children!
  “Even with a budget deficit, legislators should protect the funding and resources of our state's most vulnerable populations, not liquidate those resources."  

• (12/23) Morton - Morton announces $2.9 million grant to Airway Heights for wastewater project
  “This project is important on many levels, from protecting the environment and public health, to providing affordable service to residents."

• (12/18) Zarelli - Sen. Zarelli statement on governor's budget proposals
  “The governor spoke of the faces of the people who will be affected by her budget, and we see those faces too. That’s all the more reason why the Legislature should adopt a final supplemental budget for 2007-09 during the first week of the 2009 session."

• (12/16) Honeyford - Reclaiming the state’s responsibility for clean water
  "The availability of clean drinking water for Yakima Valley residents is essential for our health and our community’s future."

• (12/05) Honeyford - 15th District legislators concerned about EPA's involvement in private well issue
  "A response is warranted in this situation, but not from a federal agency based in Seattle."  

• (12/02) Delvin - Climate Advisory Team report expensive, flawed, and not believable
  "The governor’s Climate Advisory Team's final report is deeply flawed, destructively expensive and simply not believable".

November 2008

• (11/20) SRC Leadership - Hewitt re-elected Senate Republican leader; other leadership posts filled
  The Senate Republican Caucus today re-elected Senator Mike Hewitt as Senate Republican leader, and other members of their leadership team during their customary biennial reorganization meeting.

• (11/19) Zarelli - Sen. Zarelli statement on November state revenue forecast


“It’s been suggested that the national economy is to blame, when the root cause of this huge deficit is a level of state spending that increased at more than double the rate of revenue growth."